NJPN Conference 2025 – Bookings now open
Thank you for your interest in Conference 2025 ‘Towards a Just Peace’.
Once you have read the Conference Details and Terms and Conditions, and are happy to go ahead and book please do one of the of following: –
- Save the Word version of the Booking Form to your computer, fill it in, and then email it to admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk, letting us know whether you will be paying by Bank Transfer or Cheque (details on the T’s & C’s document).
or
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or
3. Fill in the Microsoft form below:
If you are able to Gift Aid please contact us directly and we will ask you to fill in a form. If you have attended previous Conferences and your Gift Aid circumstances have changed, please also email admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk.
Please note that we will not be able to offer single night stays, or day visitor places until nearer the time. If you are interested in going onto a waiting list, please email us on the above address.
NW NJPN JUSTICE AND PEACE E BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2025
The February edition of the NW NJPN JUSTICE AND PEACE E-BULLETIN leads with news of the ceasefire in Gaza. We join with Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger’s prayer (page 2) for a true and lasting peace to bring reconciliation, justice and hope for all. A group from Justice and Peace Scotland are currently visiting the Holy Land – you can read their reflections on page 3 and catch up with the next stage of their pilgrimage via their Facebook page. Heather Kiernan has sent an update from the Hands up Project which connects young people from Palestine to the rest of the world by sharing stories, poetry and drama. HUP’s Trustees are keen to recruit more Youth Ambassadors (so far there are only 6) to establish new links with schools in the UK to Gaza and also strengthen existing partnerships – read more on pages 5-7.
On pages 8-9 Ian Linden gives a comprehensive – and fascinating – overview of Russia’s & China’s scramble for Africa. This Friday, 24 January, Catholic Schools are joining together to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope Launch Day for Schools, as children and young people embark on a journey as “pilgrims of hope” (report on page 9). On page 10 Ellen Teague of The Columbans describes 3 “Jubilee” years that she has prepared for and reminds readers that the deadline for the current Columban competition, “Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope,” for 13-18 year olds closes in three weeks’ time, on 7 February.
There are links to the most recent podcasts in Theresa Alessandro’s series All Kinds of Catholic (page 11) which cover a broad range of topics. Christian Aid warns of the cost of climate change, both financially and to the planet. A Rocha UK is supporting the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill as it progresses through Parliament and nears a crucial stage, its second reading, on Friday 24 January – do please urge your MP to add their backing – follow the links on page 12.
Finally, page 13 has a very full diary of local, regional and national events. Don’t forget to send news from your area for the next issue.
Best wishes
Anne O’Connor
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin February 2025
NJPN: Opening the Doors to Freedom from Human Trafficking
The first NJPN event of this Jubilee Year will take place on Thursday February 6th from 7pm – 8.30pm
The evening will be facilitated by Brian O’ Toole, who is a member of the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) Executive, (APT Ireland) and the Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking in Europe (RENATE) and Talitha Kum.
At this event you will learn a little more about the insidious issue of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in the UK and importantly what we can do as “Pilgrims of Hope” during this Jubilee Year to help victims of Human Trafficking as we shine a light on this important issue.
Click here to sign up – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd16FG37Hvq93rw1yQBHYUJZ6JFvGb5HBeAOy-hE043wkel9Q/viewform
Dear Friends,
Firstly, may we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year.
The National Justice and Peace Network
are delighted to be able to advertise our first event of this Jubilee Year entitled
Opening the Doors to Freedom from Human Trafficking
on
Thursday February 6th at 7pm – 8.30pm
(See Flyer above, or download below)
Meeting Poster
Liverpool J&P Commission Peace Sunday event
Dear Friends
I wanted to let you know of an upcoming event on Peace Sunday January 19th 2025
“A Mother’s Forgiveness” Peace Sunday Mass followed by Gee Walker talk, 19th January 2025, 11am
After Mass at the Cathedral, join Gee Walker who will talk about the murder of her son Anthony, forgiveness, reconciliation, and justice. This is a partnership event by Pax Christi and the Liverpool Justice and Peace Commission. For more details A Mother’s Forgiveness: Gee Walker talks about the tragic death of her son Anthony (19-Jan-2025) · ChurchSuite Events
Archbishop Malcolm will be celebrating the Mass at 11am and following this there will be light refreshments. Gee Walker’s talk will begin at 1:15pm. If you wish to attend this talk, please could you sign up using the link above. Thank you. If you have any difficulties doing that, or need any further information, please let me know.
I look forward to seeing you on 19th.
Best wishes
Justine Silcock
Co-chair Archdiocese of Liverpool J&P Commission
NW NJPN E BULLETIN JANUARY 2025
To start off the New Year we’re shining a spotlight on some of the dreamers and thinkers who feature regularly in these bulletins with reflections to challenge and inspire us: Rev’d Jon Swales, David Gee, Jenny Sinclair, Jon Kuhrt and Ian Linden. There is information about the 2025 Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ which runs from December 26, 2024 to the feast of the Epiphany in 2026 plus a wealth of resources from Pax Christi to help us celebrate Peace Sunday on 19 January. The diary for January is already looking full – do please send notices of events in early Spring for the next bulletin.
Wishing all our readers every blessing for the New Year.
Anne O’Connor
click here to open – NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin January 2025
Winter MouthPeace 2024-2025
Time flies and as we enter Advent it reminds us that it will soon be Christmas and the start of the Jubilee Year. I have included a few links to Advent resources. I especially recommend the link to Anne O’Connor’s material which she prepared with a friend for her parish. There is a lot of material for reflection either alone or in a group. There are also items about peace and justice work in the Jubilee year as various organisations including NJPN have already made plans. Finally via the Chester World Development Forum I received an interesting article on blue and green hydrogen with the challenges of its use locally and for Africa.
Advent blessings
Marian
Report from November 16th 2024 NJPN Open Networking Day
The following report and images from the November NJPN event are kindly provided by Brian O’Toole from his blog, which can be accessed at
The Living Wage Leeds Nov 16 ’24
“The Real Living Wage
Leeds Justice & Peace Commission and the NJPN
Wheeler Hall, Leeds Nov 16th 2024
Opening the Doors to a Real Living Wage.
Sara spoke to all of her lived experience of poverty and of her connection to the Catholic Church and by extension to Catholic Social Teaching (CST) through her active work in the area of poverty with local priests as advocates. First off, Sara spoke of fact that the real living wage is a growing concern for many working and living in Leeds. We were reminded that Pope Francis is perhaps the greatest advocate of CST when he explains that we can’t have a real peace when we’re living on the margins.
Sara began her presentation by explaining that she is part of the growing Living Wage Movement, and that the view of the youth and the young is paramount given that the impact of the lack of the real living wage impacts disproportionately on children and youth. Growing up in Cowgate and going to school in Blakelaw Comprehensive school, she remembers that a school inspection proclaimed that her school was the worst performing school in England given that most of students graduating did so with no GCSE grade at all. “Failing is what happened at Blakelaw Comprehensive, which had one of the worst, if not the worst, attendance and GCSE records in the country.” (Guardian). The school and the community that it served were entrenched in desperate poverty. And the real difficulty now is that things are just as bad and perhaps even worse. Back when Sara was going to school if you were at work you could eat, you could manage. Now, however, being in work is no guarantee that you can eat well or even at all in some cases. We now have a large cohort of the population known as the working poor where what they earn just won’t cover the basics.
Sara, reminded us that we were all gathered here because we believe that we can eradicate poverty and she was about to explain that one way is to campaign strategically for the introduction of the living wage.
And so the question posed is exactly how can we work to bring about a situation where the Living Wage becomes a reality for those who can be considered to amongst the furthest behind.
Sara was able to explain that currently 30% of children living in the UK are living in poverty and that over half the homes with 3 or more children are houses where the children are being described as living in poverty. 36% of all lone parents with a child under 5 years of age are living in poverty. She also told us that currently a child born into poverty is more than likely to be an adult living in poverty with little prospect of mobility. And alarmingly, 70% of children living in poverty are living in homes where there is a parent working!
The two child limit is just another tool that conspires to people being kept poor. (What is the 2 child benefit cap?) Increasingly your likelihood to be living in poverty is increased by both gender and race. We cannot get away from the growth of the foodbank over the last 20 years and the exponential growth of dependents that cannot survive without this support. It must be said that increasingly those in work are now approaching foodbanks out of sheer necessity and that the approach is very often made by the mother.
There is no getting away from the fact that we are experiencing the worst ‘Cost of Living Crisis” in over 30 years where essentials like food have increased by as much as 20% with no commensurate rise in earnings. It has also been noted that there has been a significant increase in the costs of energy that filters down to impact those in poverty first, fastest and most. Last year the Trussel Trust explained that for the first time they donated in excess of 3,000,000 food parcels last year with over 760,000 people attending for the first time. There is a deepening crisis that gives way to a deepening distress that is frankly unacceptable. Life expectancy can be reduced by as much as 15 years and the health outcomes for those living in poverty are declining.
Currently there are over 3.4 million people in insecure work with over 25% of them living in the North East of England. Among those are people working in social care when their shift can be cancelled without notice meaning that their earnings are indeed precarious. Among those most affected are women, ethnic and older workers. The first casualty of poverty is the mother who will go without food to be sure that her children do not have to do without. Our response is that we can do something about this. The proliferation of foodbanks is a help but doesn’t address the structural issues that conspire to ensure that those in poverty may indeed become trapped in poverty. The Real Living Wage Campaign first began it’s work by campaigning for better conditions for families that would allow parents and children more time with each other.
A decision was taken to approach the HSBC and Barclays Bank first by letter to ask for the living wage to be given to all employees. The letter went unanswered and the staff bought a one pound share in the bank affording them rights to attend shareholders meetings and to pose questions and insist on certain items being on the agenda. With a priest as an advocate at the meeting the successful outcome was to ensure that the minimum wage of £12.20 was increased to the living wage of £13.60. Success here was key to bringing the possibility of bringing about the living wage in other large and public institutions.
What is the extent of the problem?
Who suffers most, first and fastest?
And what about the North East in particular?
From the Households Below Adequate Income Study 2022 / 2023
What business is slowly learning is that employees with the real living wage are working in businesses that continue to prosper. When Newcastle University were asked to consider offering the living wage to employees they at first refused and this was par for the course and so those working to ensure a living wage had to think imaginatively and strategically to ensure that those with decision making powers got the message and so at a Board Meeting notes written on napkins were passed to board members alerting them to the issue and subsequently Newcastle University caved and now paid the living wage. What is now apparent is that we can’t wait for elections or politicians. We must take the initiative and take the lived experience and stories of those in poverty to those who can make the changes required.
Sara also told us of the Reuben Brothers who have bought the local football club and in an effort to be seen to support local people and causes they offered to match donations at match grounds to the local foodbank. However, when it was pointed out to them that this donation that they are making so publicly is a contradiction in terms, given that those who will make use of the foodbank are their staff who are left with little option but to use this service given the low standard of pay they receive. It was pointed out to the brothers that perhaps the more appropriate response would be to pay the Living Wage to all employees so that then there would be no need for them to approach the foodbank in the first place. After some “to-ing and fro-ing,” this came to pass and this was yet another example of the living wage being paid in a public institution.
Leeds Council are amenable to paying the living wage but this is only the tip of the iceberg, those who adopt the Living Wage take on the responsibility of offering fair and respectful contracts, that remove the “zero hours” element that have become so prevalent and are not just family unfriendly but regularly leave the worker in poverty. We must remember that the aim of each and every foodbank is to cease to operate because there is no need. A fair contract empowers, and now we are also seeing community shops, food pantries and church larders all supplementing those in need, quietly and efficiently staving off the hunger of the nation. “By campaigning for the real Living Wage we are doing the Gospel corporately – and as a practicing Catholic the more I practice the better I get!” – Sir John Battle (organiser)
The next event that will help all to learn a little more about the Living Wage will be online on Dec 4th next. Scan the code or Register HERE
In the afternoon, Sir John Battle facilitated a round table discussion with:
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Luke a Debt Counselor – who explained that debt cancelling is not an answer, it is but a temporary relief if we don’t address the structural causes of the debt.
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Andrew from Citizens UK – who explained that compassion and charity are just not enough, We must organise a chapter of citizens who can think and act and must include those with a lived experience of poverty.
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Tom A Champion of the Living Wage explained that poverty and financial poverty are the one thing that gets in the way of a family achieving. There is a lessened ability to access services, to spend time together as a family. Poverty can and does have an insidious effect on families. What we need is justice – beyond the direct service of charity.
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Paul from Leeds Church Institute: When thinking on how to address the issues, I must think on what door I can walk through: a door into a sophisticated pursuit of justice. We must also remember that many are too proud to access foodbanks. Ecumenical charity is perhaps the best kept secret of the Leeds Church Institute, we must consider how faith can manifest itself on the margins.
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Ailse – a Digital Marketing Student. “Young people are the now, they are the spark, the Youth are now doing their bit.” There must be ways for those who don’t come to church to express their faith in work with those in poverty, in service perhaps.
Other points that came up:
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At the Rainbow Junction Cafe there is a gathering of those who can support those in need.
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The demand for services to those in need is definitely growing.
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How can we be the prophetic voice for change?
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How can we live out our faith as a team?
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The ripple effect of micro changes can be huge, it can be the spark for the next idea. Think of the campaign for the change in the bus time table as organised by the children attending a local school. It was noticed that the bus arrived at the school two minutes before the children were let out meaning that there was a significant wait for the next bus. What the children felt was the success of a campaign and this feeling is one that can be capitalised on by taking on new and perhaps even more difficult campaigns.
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We need to be bold to get to Jesus.
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Taking on such work is an act of bravery.
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To be too busy doing charity leaves no time address the causes.
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Can there be such a thing as a quiet Jesus? No!
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Dealing with the Living Wage Campaign is far easier that than dealing with the poverty that is caused by the absence of the living wage.
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There are always reasons not to….and if we accept this then there will never be a comfortable time to start.
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Where the story affect the community then a grassroots campaign is often the most successful.
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Is there a real fear of being considered political in the charity world?
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We must ask ourselves, are social justice and evangelisation separate things?
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Real people power might only come from real people.
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Charity as love… are they distinguishable?
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Poverty is isolation.
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God is not I, I, I nor is God you, you, you. God is we, we, we!
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Often those who make a plan are concerned about the possible level of success when really they should think that that only thing that is not a success is not starting in the first place!
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Pope Francis, “Love in Service of the Community needs to be organised.
As the event was over at 3.30pm I had an hour to spend in Leeds before heading for home and some the photos below were taken on my wander around. (feel free to use any for any reason – no need to ask for permission!)”
Here’s an introduction: Some Advent resources here – use in full or dip in as you wish.
Watching and Waiting is a condensed taster version of all 4 weeks of booklets on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that serve as handouts for a course that a friend and I have put together for our parish, consisting of four, one hour sessions.
If you reproduce anything from writer and artist Jan Richardson, a retreat leader based in Florida, she is happy to give permission provided that you acknowledge the source title and her website address (as I have done) – do look at her artwork, reflections and ‘blessings’ poems.
Michael K Marsh, a priest of the Episcopal Church in West Texas, has also kindly given permission for his reflections to be used.
There are also 4 suggested services for each week on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love’
Please pass this material on to others if you wish
Best wishes
Anne O’Connor
WATCHING AND WAITING
Advent booklet 1_final with candle heading
Advent booklet 2_final2 with candle heading
Advent booklet 3_final (001) with candle heading
Advent booklet 4_final (002) with candle heading
PRAY AND REFLECT 2024 ADVENT WEEK 1 HOPE
PRAY AND REFLECT 2024 ADVENT WEEK 2 PEACE
PRAY AND REFLECT 2024 ADVENT WEEK 3 JOY
PRAY AND REFLECT 2024 ADVENT WEEK 4 LOVE
NW NJPN E BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2024
The November issue of the NW NJPN E Bulletin is a bumper edition with articles on COP 29, Gaza, a tribute by Ian Linden to Peruvian Dominican priest Gustavo Gutiérrez, regarded as the father of Liberation Theology, who died on 22 October 2024 aged 96 plus news from around the NW region. Jenny Sinclair, founder and director of Together for the Common Good looks at the de-humanising effects of Liberalism and suggests that as Christians our conception of the human person is not individualistic – it is relational – ‘we are not complete without each other’. Curlew Action’s Mary Colwell shares her thoughts and feelings on this heart-breaking – yet unsurprising – news: The Slender-billed Curlew is now deemed to be extinct. She adds, ‘Gus Speth, former dean of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies at Yale, has been widely attributed as saying, “I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy.”’ He went on to say that, “to deal with those issues we need a spiritual and cultural transformation.” There are also resources, news of webinars and diary dates.
There was no bulletin in October and this November one is later than usual as I’ve been busy compiling a series of Advent resources with fellow parishioner Penny Howes. In place of our usual format of Pray and Reflect services, this year we are offering 4 one-hour Let us Pray sessions based on the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love with readings, reflections, discussion, gentle music, art and prayer. As we journey together over the next four weeks we will seek to deepen our relationship with the God who loves and cares for us as we prepare to welcome the Christ child who fills our hearts with the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love.
Attached is a very condensed booklet to give you a flavour – please email me if you want to know more. You are welcome to use this in full or pick out extracts, however, if you choose anything from writer and artist Jan Richardson she asks that you give the source and also her website address.
Wishing you all a restful Advent,
Anne O’Connor
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin November 2024
WATCHING AND WAITING
Sr. Maire Hayes: Rest in Peace
The funeral service for Sr. Maire Hayes will take place in Olney, Northampton on Thursday 28 November.
Sr Maire was a dear friend and supporter of NJPN and had been a valued member of the executive since 2012. In sharing their thoughts exec, members have said that not only was Sr. Maire inspiring and insightful, her sense of fun and enthusiasm was infectious. Sr. Maire also possessed a deep sense of inner peace and this together with her unique life experience, was reflected in her contribution to all our discussions.
We all feel very blessed to have known her. May the Lord bless her and keep her.
Sr. Maire had also been a long serving member of GRASSROOTS Staff Team, and David Jonathan (Johny) from GRASSROOTS Programme writes in appreciation of Sr. Maire:
Sr. Maire was a great supporter of the Luton Council of Faiths, and she contributed significantly to inter-faith & cohesion work in Luton. She laid the foundation for Making Luton a Fairtrade Campaign. She never hesitated to take a stand for peace and justice in our world, not even when she lived under the authoritarian regime in Chile for over two decades. Soon after 9/11, she arrived in Luton. She became the Inter Faith Coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton, and she carried out that role with great passion for nearly 20 years. We will always remain indebted for her support, guidance, and leadership in many different ways. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Luton’s different faith communities in testing times. Her spirit of defiance to those attempting to undermine the stability and integrity of diverse communities in our town has left a lasting impression on us all. She was admired by us all and by many more in Luton’s diverse faith communities for her gentleness, humility, grace, astuteness, diligence, and the dignified way in which she contributed to life in Luton. We are grateful for her life, her faith, and her selfless commitment to our town May she rest in peace and may we all remain united in our longing for peace in the world, and continue working together for the peace, unity, well-being, and prosperity of all in our town.
Peace be with you all, as Sr Maire would often say and pray.
David Jonathan (Johny) from GRASSROOTS
In February 2015 Sr. Maire contributed to the ‘Speaking Personally’ page on the NJPN website. The link below will give a deeper insight into her life and work.
https://www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/speaking-personally/speaking-personally-maire-hayes/
